Mega-cities and big cities have endured dangerous impact from climatechange, but small- and medium-sized towns will suffer the most,according to experts.
Like many other towns of its size in theworld, Can Tho has faced many challenges, including rapid urbanisation,climate change and increasing urban population, Assila Pathirana,representative of the Netherlands-based UNESCO-IHE Institute for WaterEducation, said.
Pathirana spoke at an international conferenceheld in Can Tho on climate-change adaptation and green infrastructurefor medium-sized cities on July 23.
Can Tho, with a population of1.2 million, is located on a land depression in the Mekong River delta,and is surrounded by the Hau river system, a branch of the MekongRiver.
Water is a rare resource but also a potential threat to the city, Pathirana added.
Inrecent time, the Hau River's water level has risen due to unsustainabledevelopment activities of Mekong River upstream nations.
Climate change, which has increased the average temperature, has caused more thunderstorms and whirlwinds.
"However,daily human activities have also been responsible for severe flooding,as well as dry weather, land erosion and saltwater intrusion," said KyQuang Vinh, Director of the Can Tho Climate Change Co-ordination Office.
"Therefore,stabilising livelihoods for the local resident community and developinga green economy is required, which Can Tho's authority will put intopractice," he added.
Vinh also said the Can Tho City People'sCommittee has set up a steering committee for climate change and aclimate change co-ordination office.
International experts fromthe Bangladesh Delta Master Planning Project said that managers andscientists should learn from real experiences of global cities to builddevelopment plans and solutions for a sustainable future.
Sharingand learning experiences from studies about several medium-sized citiesin the world would help cities increase their own capability in floodprevention and green infrastructure development, while maintainingeconomic growth and the local community's livelihood, Pathirana said.
Accordingto a report from the Netherlands-based UNESCO-IHE Institute for WaterEducation, the world has had the fastest urbanisation rate in humanhistory in recent times.
Around 50 percent of the global population now lives in cities and the rate is increasing.
Urbanisationis continuing to occur rapidly in poor and developing nations, and insmall- and medium-sized towns, where 70 percent of the world's urbanpopulation lives.
Urbansation is putting pressure on cities andtown authorities to develop solutions to accommodation, public services,environmental pollution, flooding and climate change impact.-VNA
Like many other towns of its size in theworld, Can Tho has faced many challenges, including rapid urbanisation,climate change and increasing urban population, Assila Pathirana,representative of the Netherlands-based UNESCO-IHE Institute for WaterEducation, said.
Pathirana spoke at an international conferenceheld in Can Tho on climate-change adaptation and green infrastructurefor medium-sized cities on July 23.
Can Tho, with a population of1.2 million, is located on a land depression in the Mekong River delta,and is surrounded by the Hau river system, a branch of the MekongRiver.
Water is a rare resource but also a potential threat to the city, Pathirana added.
Inrecent time, the Hau River's water level has risen due to unsustainabledevelopment activities of Mekong River upstream nations.
Climate change, which has increased the average temperature, has caused more thunderstorms and whirlwinds.
"However,daily human activities have also been responsible for severe flooding,as well as dry weather, land erosion and saltwater intrusion," said KyQuang Vinh, Director of the Can Tho Climate Change Co-ordination Office.
"Therefore,stabilising livelihoods for the local resident community and developinga green economy is required, which Can Tho's authority will put intopractice," he added.
Vinh also said the Can Tho City People'sCommittee has set up a steering committee for climate change and aclimate change co-ordination office.
International experts fromthe Bangladesh Delta Master Planning Project said that managers andscientists should learn from real experiences of global cities to builddevelopment plans and solutions for a sustainable future.
Sharingand learning experiences from studies about several medium-sized citiesin the world would help cities increase their own capability in floodprevention and green infrastructure development, while maintainingeconomic growth and the local community's livelihood, Pathirana said.
Accordingto a report from the Netherlands-based UNESCO-IHE Institute for WaterEducation, the world has had the fastest urbanisation rate in humanhistory in recent times.
Around 50 percent of the global population now lives in cities and the rate is increasing.
Urbanisationis continuing to occur rapidly in poor and developing nations, and insmall- and medium-sized towns, where 70 percent of the world's urbanpopulation lives.
Urbansation is putting pressure on cities andtown authorities to develop solutions to accommodation, public services,environmental pollution, flooding and climate change impact.-VNA
